Tag: Kung-Fu Fighting

Well, I made it. This is the last day of the first week of P90X, and this is a fun one. I get to do karate–or some form of movement that is loosely based on karate. All I know is that one of the people in the video is an actual black belt instructor in Kenpo…so that makes it official as far as I’m concerned. It makes me feel good that this guy who has dedicated the better part of his lifetime to learning the discipline and principles of this ancient form of self-defense is getting bossed around by Tony too. It levels the playing field.

And that’s pretty much how it starts out: Tony yelling at the Sensei to get his knees up during warm-ups. It makes me wonder whether Tony realizes that with one swift palm heel strike to the solar plexus his life could be over. Maybe it’s good to be ignorant about some things. Oh well, the Sensei lifts his knees higher, so I do too.

After warming up and stretching, we move right into the punches. We work on jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts. I feel like I’m in the game Punchout, and I keep expecting to hear a computer generated voice screaming “BODY BLOW! BODY BLOW!” There is no such voice…just the sound of Tony counting, and me breathing (technically, it was probably closer to panting, but you get the point). I enjoy watching the “real” people in the video. They know the routine, but they’re not quite as polished as Tony. I think I can actually see the one lady’s mouth moving as she counts her jabs. That’s the fitness equivalent to doing addition on your fingers. I like her. She can stay.

The Sensei? He is on another level. While Tony makes the sequences look like well-choreographed kick-boxing moves, he is combining all the punches in such a lightning quick, smooth motion that I miss a pair of jab-cross combos because I’m hypnotized by his flying fists of death.

After punches, we’re on to kicking, blocking, and eviscerating (at least that’s why I imagine in order to keep myself entertained). I have to admit…Kenpo X is a lot of fun. It’s pretty tiring, but it’s a good time. There’s only one thing that bothers me.

As much trouble as I have keeping up with the routine, I realize that if I, or my family, is ever accosted in real life, the assailant is in very little danger. I can only hope that when he’ll be scared off when he sees how high I get my knees during the warm-up.